Index:Robert's Rules of Order - 1915.djvu

Title Robert's Rules of Order
Author Henry Martyn Robert
Year 1915
Source djvu
Progress To be proofread
Transclusion Index not transcluded or unreviewed

TABLE OF CONTENTS


PAGE
Order of Precedence of Motions 5
Table of Rules Relating to Motions 6
Preface 13
Introduction.
Parliamentary Law 15
Plan of the Work 20
Definitions 22
Part I. — Rules of Order.
Art. I. — How Business is Conducted in Deliberative Assemblies.
§ 1. Introduction of Business 25
2. What Precedes Debate 26
3. Obtaining the Floor 27
4. Motions and Resolutions 33
5. Seconding Motions 36
6. Stating the Question 38
7. Debate 38
8. Secondary Motions 40
9. Putting the Question and Announcing the Vote 40
10. Proper Motions to Use to Accomplish Certain Objects 43
Art. II. — General Classification of Motions.
§ 11. Main or Principal Motions 51
12. Subsidiary Motions 54
13. Incidental Alotions 56
14. Privileged Motions 57
15. Some Main and Unclassified Motions 58
Art. III. — Privileged Motions.
§ 16. Fix the Time to which the Assembly shall Adjourn 59
17. Adjourn 60
18. Take a Recess 64
19. Questions of Privilege 66
20. General and Special Orders and a Call for the Orders of the Day 68
Art. IV. — Incidental Motions.
§ 21. Questions of Order and Appeal 78
22. Suspension of the Rules 83
23. Objection to the Consideration of a Question 87
24. Division of a Question, and Consideration by Paragraph or Seriatim 89
25. Division of the Assembly, and Motions relating to Methods of Voting, or to Closing or Reopening the Polls 95
26. Motions relating to Methods of Making, or to Closing or to Reopening Nominations 96
27. Requests growing out of Business Pending or that has just been pending, as, a Parliamentary Inquiry, a Request for Information, for Leave to Withdraw a. Motion, to Read Papers, to be Excused from a Duty, or for any other Privilege 97
Art. V. — Subsidiary Motions.
§ 28. Lay on the Table 104
29. The Previous Question 111
30. Limit or Extend Limits of Debate 118
31. Postpone Definitely, or to a Certain Time 121
32. Commit or Refer, or Recommit 125
33. Amend 134
34. Postpone Indefinitely 152
Art. VI. — Some Main and Unclassified Motions.
§ 35. Take from the Table 154
36. Reconsider 156
37. Rescind 169
38. Renewal of a Motion 171
39. Ratify 173
40. Dilatory, Absurd, or Frivolous Motions 174
41. Call of the House 175
Art. VII. — Debate
§ 42. Debate 178
43. Decorum in Debate 180
44. Closing and Preventing Debate 182
45. Principles of Debate and Undebatable Motions 184
Art. VIII.— Vote.
§ 46. Voting 188
47. Votes that are null and void even if Unanimous 201
48. Motions requiring more than a Majority Vote 202
Art. IX. — Committees and Boards.
§ 49. Committees Classified 206
50. Boards of Managers, etc., and Executive Committees 207
51. Ex-Officio Members of Boards and Committees 210
52. Committees. Special and Standing 211
53. Reception of Reports 220
54. Adoption or Acceptance of Reports 223
55. Committee of the Whole 229
56. As if in Committee of the Whole 233
57. Informal Consideration 234
Art. X. — The Officers and the Minutes.
§ 58. Chairman or President 236
59. Secretary or Clerk 244
60. The Minutes 247
61. Executive Secretary 250
62. Treasurer 251
Art.XI.—Miscellaneous.
§ 63. Session 253
64. Quorum 257
65. Order of Business 261
66 Nominations and Elections 263
67 Constitutions, By-laws, Rules of Order, and Standing Rules 264
68 Amendments of Constitutions, By-laws, and Rules of Order 269
Part II. — Organization, Meetings, and Legal Rights of Assemblies.
Art. XII. — Organization and Meetings.
§ 69. An Occasional or Mass Meeting.
(a) Organization 275
(b) Adoption of Resolutions 277
(c) Committee to draft Resolutions 280
(d) Semi-Permanent Mass Meeting 283
70. A Permanent Society.
(a) First Meeting 284
(b) Second Meeting 286
(c) Regular Meeting 291
71. Meeting of a Convention.
(a) An Organized Convention 292
(b)A Convention not yet Organized 296
Art. XIII. — Legal Rights of Assemblies and Trial of Their Members.
§ 72. Right of an Assembly to Punish its Members 299
73. Right of an Assembly to Eject any one from its Place of Meeting 299
74. Rights of Ecclesiastical Tribunals 300
75. Trial of Members of Societies 302
Plan for Study of Parliamentary Law.
Introduction 305
Lesson Outlines 308
Index 313

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS.

The ordinary motions rank as follows, the lowest in rank being at the bottom and the highest at the top of the list. When any one of them is immediately pending the motions above it in the list are in order, and those below are out of order. Those marked (⅔) require a ⅔ vote for their adoption; the others require only a majority.

Undebatable Fix the Time to which to Adjourn (when privileged). Privileged
Adjourn (when privileged).
Take a Recess (when privileged).
Raise a Question of Privilege.
Call for the Orders of the Day.

Lay on the Table.
Previous Question (2/3). Subsidiary
Limit or Extend Limits of Debate (2/3).
Debatable Postpone to a Certain Time.
Commit or Refer.
Amend.
Postpone Indefinitely.
   
A Main Motion.  

* Can be amended: the others cannot be amended.

t The first three motions are not always privileged. To Fix the Time to which to Adjourn is privileged only when made while another question is pending, and in an assembly that has made no provision for another meeting on the same or the next day. To Adjourn loses its privileged character and is a main motion if in any way qualified, or if its effect, if adopted, is to dissolve the assembly without any provision for its meeting again. To Take a Recess is privileged only when made while other business is pending.